SC2Mapster

There were a lot of pretty bad issues when I tried multiplayer again the other day, I always check to make sure my updates work solo, but I'm lacking in multiplayer testers, and since my primary helper was away a lot of bugs went unnoticed...

My friend is back now, and I figured out the cause for the dialogs issues, and a ton of other stuff, so hopefully the worst of them are fixed...

I'm still having issues with the victory conditions (or mostly the remove player conditions), why does it just not want to remove all units for players who left the game?

I've tried all sorts of conditions and events, IE player leaves game tie/defeat, if picked player does not equal Playing, if picked player = left the game, and none of them are removing properly.

A number of functions have been added since the previous versions, Walls Block Air and can be upgraded, the AI Mode (which doesn't attack yet just makes game harder and streamlines native/nation voting), and Maritime Trade Routes. 2 of 8 buttons of the new menu bar are working as well.

I really appreciate anyone reporting multiplayer bugs because if they exist it means the game works for me single player 100%, and I will never be able to figure the bug exists until other players report it.

Edit: figured out the issue with the remove player trigger it was because I wasn't using status of player in the condition, removing players and thus the victory conditions now work for the most part, allied victory still needs some work.

@TwoDie: Go

Hmmm, maybe I'll change the background story (more like add one), where you're members of the Human race colonizing a remote planet, initially you don't have many members (if it's needed I can just make a single Civilian guy to be your human starter dude), and you join with the indigenous people (zerg), and start making use of human and indigenous technologies to expand.

After a while more of your people (terran) join and population evens with indigenous tribes, and even more advanced races (protoss) join your civilization, then I could make names related, though if I just made it so the humans are using historical name references for their weapons and military it can still make sense even if I didn't change the naming...

My map is based heavily on sc1 civ world, and all the nations names I used are the same ones from that, wonders are mostly the same wonder names, ages, some units, etc... my ideal for this map is the "look and feel" of sc1 civilization world, which is largely different from any sc2 civ map I've played.

On that end the naming doesn't matter much to me, though I was originally going to try to stick to the original sc1 naming as much as I could (which also uses swordsman/etc... names for zerg, terran, and protoss units) if it bothers people I'll make naming match some sort of story.

The achievement system is more a long term goal, first I want to get games played/wins/loses setup, and after everything else works, I'll work on a sort of achievement point system similar to the ones in Kobold or PvZ, with mostly visual benefits, not anytime soon though....

I disagree on the map not being good right now though, I can agree there's still a lot of balance polishing left to do.

Also, since the map is meant to cover Ages roughly XXXX BC to XXXX AD in date range, there will be a wide gap in unit names, like Swordsman/Warriors, Cavalry, up to Snipers, and high powered/gunships, etc...

Though the naming will probably match up a bit better with the age once I finish making the basic game mechanics.

Oh yeah and I need to add bank functionality to the planned list as well, was hoping to add some sort of achievement system, though that will probably be #9 or #10 after naming/visuals.

@TwoDie: Go

Gathering is like a third or fourth method of income and I only really bother putting workers on gas, gold gathering isnt even worth it until probes, primary income is intended to be capturing Outposts, so primary focus should be on expansions and map control, those provide the best long term gold income, as well as oil wells which provide passive oil income/second.

Initial income comes from the farms (which is how sc1 civ did it) and building population/government which also doesn't require workers, gathering from mines and refineries actually sucks pretty bad until probes since I made scvs take 7 seconds per 1 gather.

I just finished adding another alternate source of income Maritime Trade Routes, which are basically ocean based Outposts, and they have invulnerable Trade Ships with perma patrol routes around the map.

I'm pretty really bad with originality when it comes to graphics, naming, models, art, etc... when I was making the map as you can tell I was REALLLLY general with unit naming, descriptions, icons, etc... I do still intend to change the icons, like all those Blink icons, and rename a lot of the X age unit names to proper units, getting the basic game mechanics down was just my first priority... since I'm terrible at visuals aspect.

I actually do have a plan for more interactive dialogs, I'm going to make mini-buttons above the command card that open Help, Disasters, Market, Stats, current Age unlocked window/disable pop-up notification option, and offer basically all the -help commands, thats just still in the works for now.

Just a for the record, I've only been working on this map for a bit over a month, and this is my first sc2 map and learning experience, though I made maps for sc1 way back. Once again thanks for the suggestions though...

Currently Planned List: 1. Confirm victory conditions working 2. Add AI mode attack waves 3. New dialog menu buttons that control all the -help commands, disasters, market options (instead of having them on Market/Loyalty Monuement), and stuff related to the F12 menu and age advance dialogs all in one 4. random spawn Relic system 5. Marco Polos Wonder 6. Market improvements 7. Updates to leader board and an economy leader board 8. Update button icons, tooltips, unit descriptions, etc...

I was actually trying to make something largely different from Civilization Sapphire so maybe I can consider that a good thing if that wasn't how it ended up, I hate how everything is automated on that map, and the reason why you have to build buildings for things is related.

Customization is a work in progress, but I don't get why everyone in sc2 expects custom models and a game that looks nothing like sc2... I was a sc1 player and mapmaker and I still like those levels of graphics and customization.

Supply can hit 0/500 on this map, so not sure how far you played? Houses give 2.5 each, Skyscrapers give, 20 each, it's also limited based on Government, I've never had any issues with supply...

I'm not sure what dialog you mean is an issue, the age advance ones and the help dialogs both can be closed by pressing C, or the X button, or the Close button, and the help even has a 4th method to close it by pressing F12 which is used to open it... I was still working on that aspect so I can agree having it open at the start is a bit annoying though and I'll change that back and give it some sort of tip icon.

All in all, thanks for the review and suggestions, but a lot of what you listed was my INTENTION as I don't like those ways of doing things that are common in sc2 maps, I'll continue to work on customization and making things run and look smoother.

Added an insane amount of things, if anyone is interested in this map watch the battle.net patch notes for changes....

Base defense can basically become impenetrable with the new Upgrade Buildings upgrades, and Walls Block Air aspects added, setup Walls all around your base, upgrade their health and build turrets, and it will become very difficult to defeat you, even with the best of units.

Also working on an Include AI mode, which gives AI players added in lobby a base, so far they don't get any upgrades, or have any orders to attack players just stationary AI bases, but I might eventually add that, just so it has more playability than requiring a full game, there is a fun event that happens around 90-105 minutes in all modes except no natives as well.

@TwoDie: Go

I'll give it a try, I could sort of imagine how it works but not sure about using it for a map like this, then again random terrain would probably look better than my current, lol.

Edit: your terrain isn't the only insane thing about your maps, those models of yours, I'm really tempted to use them since they match well with Civ, but I'm pretty graphically inept, I can't tell much difference between things that appeal to the eyes and even more so making modifications to map models/actors/animations I'm terrible at, unless they are bad enough to cause eyes to bleed I can't tell.

I might add them eventually, after I feel the map is at a good point, and give credit, but for now both of those are on the hopefuls list.

Everytime I play this map with a friend I get owned D:

It's pretty fun at least...some units still imbalanced.

@TwoDie: Go

Like completely Random map generation?

Or just random locations of beacons, resources, and starting locations?

I'll have to give that some thought, generally it's nice to have at least some idea of the terrain on diplomacy maps... though I hated the locked-in feel of Civilization Sapphire.

The amount of randomization and customization in this map already implodes Civilization Sapphire, though nowhere near the amount of balance yet, Normal mode feels pretty good as it is, so I think I'll release it tonight or tomorrow.